Can the story of Camilla ever be told
without Diana? That’s the question I was left asking after watching
The Real Camilla (ITV1, April 23rd). This documentary had
unrivalled access to the Duchess of Cornwall throughout her 70th
year so it seemed a bit of a shame that a…
The newest member of the House of Windsor
is here and the new son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has
arrived on a day with plenty of royal history attached to it. As we
all celebrate the new royal baby, here’s a look at the royal story
of April 23rd. It’s…
It’s suddenly rising up the bookies’
lists and now we know that Baby Cambridge is a boy, the name James
is getting a lot of love as a possible pick for the House of
Windsor’s newest prince. Of course it’s got family credentials. The
Earl and Countess of Wessex called their son James, and it’s the
also name of the Duchess of Cambridge’s little brother. But it’s
got plenty of…
In the grounds of Balmoral Castle is a
building touching in its simplicity. Called the Garden Cottage, it
was built in the grounds at Balmoral and used by Queen Victoria and
her family. In addition to the rooms of the private wings occupied
by the Queen and Royal Family at…
At Osborne House, the beloved family
retreat of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the Isle of Wight,
is a private beach, unlike any other in British history. It is a
royal beach, reserved solely for the use of Queen Victoria, Prince
Albert and their family. English…
Your challenge, should you choose to
accept it, is to find a royal who isn’t called Albert or Victoria.
OK, slightly OTT, but the fact is that two of the hot favourite
names for Royal Baby Cambridge number three are as close as you can
get to ubiquitous in royal circles. Ever since the time of the
second longest reigning monarch in British history and her beloved
consort, their names have done…
If you think royal baby fever is a new
thing, think again. Back on April 21st 1926, when the Queen was
born, there was plenty of excitement over the arrival of a new
princess who – at the time – was several steps removed from the
Crown and never expected to rule. No…
The wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah
Ferguson, on July 23rd 1986, was really rather floral indeed. We
expect all brides to carry a bouquet but Sarah, unlike many women
in recent royal history, chose to wear flowers in her hair, too. As
she made her way into Westminster…
‘Though I stood for the ninth time near a
child and for the fifth time near a daughter, at the altar, I think
I never felt more deeply than I did on this occasion… When the
blessing had been given, I tenderly embraced my darling “Baby” ‘
(op. cit, Christopher Hibbert, Queen Victoria: A Personal History,
Pg 412, 2000). With this words, Queen Victoria described the
wedding day of her…
